Bedside holder for cleaning tissue box



Dec. 9, 1969 w. c. BAILEY BEDSIDE HOLDER FOR CLEANING TISSUE BOX FiledDec. 7, 1966 fiZViZ Z07 Z ZZ/Zfam CBzzzJ/ey United States Patent US. Cl.248311 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder positionable betweentwo horizontal members, such as a spring and a mattress, for supportingcleaning tissues within a container outwardly and adjacent the sides ofthe horizontal members, whereby the tissues may be withdrawn for usefrom the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A holder positionable between two horizontalmembers having sides, such as a spring and a mattress of a bed, forsupporting a container with cleaning tissues adjacent the sides of thehorizontal members, the holder comprising a body member adapted to bepositioned horizontally between said two horizontal members andremovably supported therebetween, the horizontal members sandwiching thebody of the holder and supporting same. The boby member has means whichextend laterally outwardly of the two horizontal members adapted tosupport a container with cleaning tissues outwardly of and adjacent thesides of the two horizontal members, whereby the tissues may bewithdrawn for use from the container.

This invention relates to a holder for supporting a plurality ofcleaning tissues or a box of cleaning tissues adjacent the side of thebed.

Cleaning tissues are normally placed on a table or the like near the bedso that they are accessible for use when a person is lying in bed. Thismeans that a person would have to stretch out and/or lift his hand toreach the tissues and in a darkened room when fumbling for the tissue itis possible to knock the box of tissues off the table. Also the spacetaken up on the bed table could be used for other purposes. One of theobjects of this invention therefore is to provide a holder which may beinserted and secured between the mattress and the bed spring and whichsupports a box of cleaning tissues adjacent the side of the mattress insuch a manner that it is readily accessible and permits the person towithdraw one sheet of tissue each time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a very simple andinexpensive holder which will support a plurality of cleaning tissues ora box of cleaning tissues adjacent the side of the bed so that thetissues may be readily withdrawn and wherein the device does notinterfere with the withdrawal of the tissues.

Antoher object of this invention is to provide a very simple andinexpensive means which requires no attachment to the bed or any portionthereof and which supports a box of cleaning tissues in a proper andconvenient position for ready accessibility to the occupant in the bed.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of one embodiment of this invention showing the boxof cleaning tissue supported adjacent the side of the mattress and boxspring.

FIGURE 2 is a view partly in section of the holder of FIGURE 1 showingsame connected to a box of cleaning tissue.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the holder and the box of cleaning tissuebefore they are interengaged.

FIGURE 4 is a view of a modified construction.

FIGURE 5 is a view of another modification, and

FIGURE 6 is a view of another modification.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 inclusive, theholder is made preferably of a wire material and is generally U-shapedin overall configuration. The holder is generally indicated by thenumeral 10. The holder 10 has a pair of spaced side members 12 connectedby an end member 14, all integrally formed and giving it the generallyU-shaped configuration.

Extending forwardly of the side members 12 but offset inwardly therefromare the front side members 13 which are reversely bent as at 16 to formclosed ends and provide inwardly extending fingers designated by thenumeral 18. The inwardly extending fingers 18 extend substantiallyparallel to the front side members 13 but are spaced slightly inwardlytherefrom to provide a narrow spacing distance 20 between the inwardlyextending fingers 18 and the front side members 13 of the holder. Theouter ends or tips 22 of the fingers are each provided with a sloping ortapering surface 24 which inclines towards the tip end of the finger andprovides the tip end with a sharp pointed edge. The holder thusdescribed is integrally formed.

The portion of the holder, namely, the side members 12 and end member 14which is intended to be inserted between the mattress and the box springis generally covered or coated with a plastic material 26, however, thefront side members 13 and the inwardly extending fingers 18 remainuncoated.

FIGURE 1 shows the manner in which the holder 10 supports a box ofcleaning tissue 28 adjacent the side of the bed between the conventionalbox spring 30 and the mattress 32. The spring 30 rests on theconventional bed frame or bed support 34. Before placing the holder 10in the position shown in FIGURE 1, between the spring and mattress, itis preferred that the conventional box of cleaning tissue 28 be securedto the holder. The secured position is best shown in FIGURE 2.

The conventional box of cleaning tissue 28 is vertically positioned sothat the front 36 of the box 28 from which the tissues are withdrawnfaces outwardly. The fingers 18 of the holder are then positioned, as inFIGURE 3, to pierce the front 36 of the box adjacent the opposite endwalls 30 of the box and the holder is then moved rearwardly in relationto the box so that the fingers 18 extend into the interior of the boxadjacent each of the opposite end walls 38, with the front side members13 of' the holder extending parallel to the fingers and adjacent theoutside of the end walls 38 of the box. The space 20 is occupied by theend walls 38 of the box 28.

The arrangement of the fingers 18 in relation to the front side members13 is such that the fingers will not engage the tissues within the box28 but will hug the end walls 38 of the box so that the box is firmlysupported between the sides of the holder in a vertical position,perpendicular to the holder. The tapered ends 24 of the fingers 18permit the fingers to puncture the front wall 36 of the box withoutdamaging or ripping or tearing the box or the tissue, and since thefingers occupy the space of the puncture the box remains substantiallyin its previous condition. After the holder 10 has been thus apappliedto the box, the holder 10 is then inserted, as shown in FIGURE 1,between the top of the box spring 30 and the bottom of the mattress 32and the holder is pushed into the degree that the vertically positionedbottom wall 40 of the tissue box is positioned adjacent the side of themattress and box spring. This additionally firmly sup: ports the tissuebox 28. The holder 10 engages the tissue box 28 midway of its verticallypositioned height so that the upper portion of the tissue box isadjacent the mattress and the lower portion is adjacent the box spring.In this position the bottom of the box would be above the sides of thebed frame or bed support 34. The holder 10 is positioned in a horizontalposition between the mattress and the box spring so that substantiallythe plastic coated portion of the holder is completely sandwichedbetween the box spring and the mattress. Only a portion of the sides 12and the front side members 13 of the holder extend outwardly beyond thesides of the spring and mattress.

The person occupying the bed has the tissue disposed in close proximityto his hand and merely has to withdraw the tissue from the torn offopening 40 of the tissue box 28. As is well understood, with eachwithdrawal of a tissue the next tissue is exposed and in position forremoval from the front of the box.

The holder 10 which is made of a wire material has sufiicient rigidityand sufficient give so that it tightly grips the ends of the tissue box28. After the cleaning tissue has been dispensed a new tissue box 28 maybe readily secured or attached to the holder 10, in this mannerhereinbefore described. This invention does not require the use of anyfastening means attached to the bed or any portion thereof so it cannotdeface the bed. It may be readily positioned between the mattress andbox spring and may be readily removed therefrom when desired.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 4, the tissue box 28 is positionedinside a plastic or metal container or housing, generally designated at42, which has a front portion 44 and a back portion 46 which may besuitably snapped together after the tissue box 28 is insertedtherebetween to form a housing for the conventional tissue box 28. Thefront portion 44 has an opening 48 through which the tissue iswithdrawn, which opening would be in alinement with the opening 40 ofthe tissue box 28. Secured to the top side 50 of the housing 42 are apair of spaced brackets 52 having openings 53 adapted to receive theinturned ends 54 of the U-shaped wire holder 56. The housing 42 ispivotally supported with respect to the holder 56 so that the housing 42may be pivoted to a horizontal position with respect to the holder forpackaging purposes. Likewise, the inturned ends 54 of the holder may beremoved from the brackets 52. The holder 56 is supported between themattress and box spring similar to that shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE shows a modification in which the tissue box 28 is supported in arectangular shaped frame member generally designated at 60. The framemember has a top 61, bottom 62, and side walls 63 and is of sufficientwidth to accommodate the front half portion of the tissue box 28therein. The front wall 64 of the frame has an opening 66 in alinementwith the opening 40 of the tissue box through which the tissue iswithdrawn. The U-shaped wireholder 68 has inturned ends 69 which extendthrough openings 70 in the side walls 63 of the frame 62. The side walls63 of the frame adjacent the openings 70- are recessed to provide achannel space 72. This serves to lock the frame in a vertical positionrelative to the holder, yet by snapping the sides of the holder out ofthe channel the frame 62 is permitted to be pivoted relative to theholder, as in the FIGURE 4 modification. The holder 68 is sandwichedbetween the mattress and box frame, with the frame member 61} and tissuebox supported adjacent the side, as in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 shows a container or housing generally indicated at 74, withthe body 76 of the housing provided with a removable snap-on front coveror lid 78 having a central opening like 48. The tissue box 28 isinserted inside the body 76 and the tissue is withdrawn through theopening in the front cover. The back or bottom of the body 76 has spacedbrackets 78, like brackets 52, to receive the inturned ends 80 of theU=sh p d i e h er 8 4 The housing is pivotally supported relative to theholder 82.

In the modifications of FIGURES 4 to 6 inclusive, the tissue box issupported in a frame or housing which is secured to the holder memberwhich is supported between the mattress and box spring. In the formshown in FIG- URES 1 to 3 inclusive, the holder member is secureddirectly to the tissue box. This latter form is the most economical andinexpensive to produce.

In the modifications shown in FIGURES 4 and 6 which utilize housings orcontainers for the box of cleaning tissues, it will be understood thatin addition to said housings or containers may be used to support aplurality of cleaning tissues which have been removed from theconventional cardboard cleaning tissue box. In such case the cleaningtissues are bodily removed from their cardboard box and are inserted inthe container 42 (FIGURE 4) or container 74 (FIGURE 6) and the tissuesare withdrawn through the front opening in each of said containers.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madefrom the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a holder for supporting a conventional box ofcleaning tissues, said box having spaced opposite end walls and a thirdwall connecting said end walls and an opening in the box for withdrawalof the tissues, said holder comprising a rear portion adapted to beremovably sandwiched between two horizontal members to support theholder in a horizontal position, said holder having forwardly extendingspaced side members and reversely extending means spaced inwardly fromsaid forwardly extending side members and defining front closed endswith the reversely extending means having pointed ends, said reverselyextending means piercing said third wall of the box of cleaning tissueand extending into the box between the opposite end walls of the box andthe tissues within the box and with the opposite end walls of the boxconfined between the forwardly extending side members and the reverselyextending means and restricted against a forward movement by the frontclosed ends to thereby sup port the box of cleaning tissues outwardly ofand adjacent the sides of the two horizontal members whereby the tissuesmay be withdrawn from the box opening.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which the holder is integrallyformed of an integral wire member and in which the rear portion is of agenerally U-shaped configuration and in which the forwardly extendingspaced side members and the reversely extending means spaced inwardlyfrom said side members form a generally U-shaped configuration with thereversely extending means extending substantially parallel to theforwardly extending spaced side members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,471,309 5/ 1949 Chandler248--99 426,928 4/ 1890 Elwell. 1,024,482 4/ 1912 Kaye et al. 1,967,6427/ 1934 Williams et al. 2,315,573 4/ 1943 Xalfa 248-309 2,564,997 8/1951Rome 248-311 XR 2,618,789 11/1952 Kane 5319 3,110,467 11/1963 Dube248311 FOREIGN PATENTS 354,249 6/ 1922 Germany.

ROY-D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner Us. 01. X.R.

